Learning experience

Daily life has become more of an educational experience than I ever thought it could be. I wake up and feel completely at home, relaxed, and comfortable. I get coffee, greet my children all as normal but from the second I open the door my poor brain begins to absorb information. Almost daily when I let Fern out to potty someone walks by and starts speaking to me about Fern...quietly I look up and say "nein Deutsch Sprechen sie English" meaning sorry but I can't understand a word you are saying. Than it is off to the store to read boxes I don't understand and packing I have never even seen before. Cracks me up...Germans only have Maple syrup ( which cost more than wine) they don't care for peanut butter so you have to look hard! There are almost 3 isles of yougurt in our store, some come in glass jars and some are made with whipping cream. I have a butcher now whom I visit daily and whom speaks no English. I usually attempt to order both my meats and my lunch meats from him or her...can sometimes be funny when all I want is salami and there are 20 different varieties. Than I get the privilege od paying..quick gotta catch the total before I just end up standing and staring at the poor lady. Than there are stops at the dm, this is where you buy shampoo, paper towel, toothpaste. The bakerei for my bread and rolls and sometime sweets. And than of course the apotheke to purchase band-aids, or allergy meds. All of which more lessons on waiting in lines...Germans like to push to the front. Or lessons on meat cuts and variety.
Today's lesson came from museum monitors and sales clerks...both of whom were sure my children were about to destroy the famous Jackson Pollack and the H&M height measurement mirror. As both individuals are just going nuts in German and poor me trying to reassure them in my broken German English mix....I realized their fear but was trying to explain my children would never...however none of that worked.
Living here rocks but by the end of the day my head hurts. I am exhausted with thinking. I am spent with the idea of taking care, being polite and listening carefully. Every thing I do is something new, something to be learned, and something to grow from.